Category Archives: Mixed Drinks

Ah Tuesday. The most underwhelming day of the week. It doesn’t have the anticipation of a Friday or the dread of a Monday or even the satisfaction of getting over the peak of the work week on a Wednesday. Thankfully, I have a wonderful Mastication Monologues post about a restaurant that will have you wishing for the weekend.

Stephanie Izard is one of the highest profile female restaurateurs who has cultivated an enormous following through her various eateries in the West Loop/slowly gentrifying Fulton Market area of Chicago, including the famed Girl and the Goat which I have also written about. Now, she has taken her legend to another level by becoming an Iron Chef as well as opening a Chinese inspired restaurant called Duck Duck Goat, a much better alternative to a goose, I think.

Izard just making noodles (PC: WGN)

It is easy to get to by public transportation or with a car, and when we walked in, it was very busy with the lunch crowd. From the neon lights in the front window to every inch of the interior, Izard has attempted to recreate the kitschy 1950s Chinese restaurants that tried to slap as many random artifacts on the walls and used as many brightly colored wallpapers in each room. Even though it sounds like a madhouse, it was pleasant on the eye in its tacky glory as we took a seat at the center island bar while we waited for our third diner to join us. We decided to try some of their mixed drinks since they looked too good to pass up. I got the Bebop and Woksteady, the bartender appreciated by Ninja Turtle knowledge on that one, and Janice got the Lucky Duck. I won’t go into every single detail of what went into these elaborate drinks, but I greatly enjoyed my cocktail. It was a mix of mezcal, pineapple juice, and orange juice with lime salt coating the rim. If you’ve never had mezcal before, it is an acquired taste. Mezcal comes from the Nahuatl (language of the Aztecs) word “Mexcalli” (Mesh-calee) meaning “over-cooked agave” because it comes from the same agave plant tequila is made from. However, since it is overcooked, it has a strong smoky flavor which I think gives it a more complex flavor than tequila. The Aztecs believed the agave plant was holy and contained the nectar of the gods, and the Bebop and Woksteady was just that. The smokiness of the mezcal was enhanced with the lime salt yet had an understated sweetness that kept it from becoming a poor man’s chelada. Janice’s Lucky Duck was a rum based drink that tasted like a sweet, bubbly lemonade with a low-key bitter undertone. Eventually, Janice’s friend Joe arrived, and we were seated at the table.

Looking over the menu, they even extended the same old-school Chinese vibe to the layout and pictures. Before we got our food, Joe and Janice went on to get the Try Try Again and the Good Health cocktails. We quickly learned that you couldn’t go wrong with their mixed drinks since everything we had was delicious and dangerous since they tasted like candy. However, I went off the beaten path to keep it real with the Chinese menu and got an adult bubble tea. I got the Honey Please which was milk tea infused with honey whiskey. While I am partial to a great bubble tea, especially of the taro variety, I wasn’t too pleased with Duck Duck Goat’s take on this Taiwanese drink mainly because they went too heavy on the whiskey and light on the tea. Once we refilled out cups, we got down to business with the foodstuffs. Overall, the prices were more on the pricier end compared to other dim sum/Chinese restaurants in Chinatown and Chicagoland, but we learned that the price tag was justified. It was interesting because it wasn’t as full on American Chinese as I anticipated yet it was more like an intermediate selection of more Western friendly Chinese traditional dishes with a classic Izard twist. Plus, all menu options were on the small to medium end and meant to be shared with your fellow diners.

Chinese food has been around since the 1800s in the United States due to a high influx of Chinese immigrants to the West coast to build the railroads. Most of the workers came from southern regions of China, especially the town of Taisan (台山市), and brought with them food that had to be either adapted for their American customers or made as close to the real deal for their fellow Chinese immigrants without having all the necessary ingredients. Traditional Cantonese dishes do have some similarities to the modern day orange chickens and chop suey, but most mainland Chinese view American Chinese food as foreign food that their favorite tv characters eat out of white take-out boxes. Instead of heavily-sauced meat dishes, we started with char siu bao or pork buns. We got the baked version (叉燒餐包) which was different from the steamed type often served at many dim sum restaurants in Chinatown. The dough was amazing. Soft and topped with green scallions, but the filling was kind of disappointing. I was expecting the red, sweet minced pork in all previous char siu dishes I’ve tried, but instead it was more like shreddednpork with little seasoning. I would still recommend trying them for the dough alone. Next up, the extremely lightly pan-fried jiaozi ( 鍋貼). The name behind these dumplings come from many sources. Some believe it comes from the Chinese word for “horn” like on a bull, others the early word for “money”, or possibly the word “jiao’er” meaning “tender ears” because an ancient Traditional Chinese medicine practitioner made them for his patients who had frostbitten ears. No matter its origin story, it was a wonderful choice. They were filled with beef short rib and bone marrow whose saltiness was sinfully rich and filling. I highly recommend these dumplings. Then came the chiu chow fun gor which were shrimp dumplings that were showered with modestly sweet peanut-soy sauce and pickled red peppers. They were also more multi-layered in terms of flavor compared to the char siu bao or the next choice in our feast. Following these dumplings, we got, surprise surprise, xiao long bao (小籠包) or soup buns. These unique dumplings were invented in Shanghai but quickly spread throughout China. The ones served at Duck Duck Goat were served in the southern Chinese style with translucent skin and filled with traditional pork, crab, and broth. If you’ve never had the pleasure of getting to know these dumplings, do not pop them in your mouth immediately, or you will be scalded with hot soup on your tongue and elsewhere. They were just as good as the ones I had at Din Tai Fung in Hong Kong! They were complimented very well with a lip-smacking earthy soy sauce on the side. Finally, we ended the dumpling part of our dinner with ham sui gok (咸水饺/咸水角) or glutinous rice goat dumplings. These were new to me, and I typically would avoid rice cake due to my experiences in Korea. However, the crunchy, fried exterior gave way to a chewy interior that was stuffed with seasoned goat. I would preferred it if it was served with a hoisin or spicy sauce to make this dish really pop, but Iron Chef Izard knows what’s best. Transitioning from more tame dumplings, we went full throttle into more traditional Chinese fare that could drive more squeamish diners away: duck hearts. I had previously eaten parts of a duck I never thought I would when hosted by my friend David’s family in Taipei (非常谢谢!), but this is another part that I ended up loving. Izard nailed the dish by roasting them until they had a good char and served them halved on a puddle of mild sesame-horseradish sauce. Given the heart is pure muscle, it almost tasted like cubes of sirloin with a slight kick from the horseradish. Hands down my second if not top dish we had at dinner. As if we couldn’t eat any more, Janice recommended that we should try the slap noodles. The reason why they’re called “slap” is because they are slapped on the kitchen counter to remove any excess flour as they’re stretched to perfection by hand (example here). I personally wasn’t wowed with these thicker, somewhat crispy noodles that were canoodling with shrimp, goat sausage, bean sprouts, and a strange red vegetable we couldn’t identify. My theory was that they were cooked tomatoes. Joe and Janice preferred it more than I did, but I think my preference for thinner or crispier noodles may have clouded my perceptions. Noodle-wise, I was definitely feeling the chilly chili noodles. Perhaps I liked it because it was more Korean in nature because it had the spicy ramen-esque noodles, pickled cucumbers, and was cold like naengmyeon. Surprisingly, we had room for dessert in the form of baonuts (see what they did there?). These deep-fried bao were similar to the char siu bao earlier in our meal, but these were more like warm doughnuts and filled with rich, dark chocolate frosting. They were well-executed as a Chinese version of a Western doughnut, but it was nothing super innovative.

Our experience at Duck Duck Goat was definitely memorable. I would highly recommend a visit if you’re tired of eating the same old Panda Express and want to expand your Chinese food horizons but are not yet ready to go full throttle with some chicken feet or stinky tofu. Just remember to come hungry and be willing to share your food with others, if possible!

Wow, where has all the time gone? My first quarter in grad school has come and gone. I came out on the other side of stats class a little older due to stress, but overall I’m ready to go into quarter numero dos starting January 3rd. The holidays are currently upon us in Chicagoland, and the weather is definitely playing its part. We have it all: -30 F temperatures, icy streets, and snow covered sidewalks. Luckily, these bleak conditions are ideal for writing some wonderful Mastication Monologues posts that I’m sure you have all been clamoring for due to my prolonged hiatus. Today’s post involves the Peckish Pig, Evanston’s first brewpub.

Chicago has always been a city that has enjoyed its adult beverages. My parents have always told me about how many bars there were in the old neighborhoods they would frequent, and how now most have them have gone away due to changing regulations and consumer tastes, among other influences. However, the rise of craft beers has been seized upon by many purveyors of food, and they have been reaping the benefits ever since. Case in point, the Peckish Pig which is always overflowing with patrons come rain or shine, so I would recommend making a reservation ahead of time if you’re not willing to wait. Janice and I tried this eatery when it was a bit warmer this year, but the laid-back, gastropub ambiance is a warm welcome for most diners even in the dead of a Chicago winter.

There’s always one person creeping on me when I take pictures.

We started our meal with some libations to cool ourselves off. The Peckish Pig had an extensive drink list, both alcoholic and non alcoholic. I was interested in their beers given we were in a brewery while Janice was naturally drawn to the mixed drinks. She went with the shoemaker ($11), and I got a cherry beer. The shoemaker was toe-tappingly good with a mix of Belle Meade bourbon, amaretto, amaro, and walnut bitters to cut through the sweetness with an ever-so-slight earthiness. My cherry beer was not as elating since it seemed to only be “cherry” in terms of hue. They could take some notes from the Belgian Kriek makers if they are looking for a refreshing beer that is both colored and flavored nearly exactly like the sundae toppers. I would not recommend this beer if you are a fan of fruit beers that are bursting with flavor. At least it looked pretty if that was any consolation. Moving on to the appetizer round, we let our grumbling stomachs lead the way. After looking over their options (there are vegetarian options, by the way!), we decided to try their selection of European meats and cheeses ($15 for a medium and $20 for a large plank) as well as their Brussels sprouts ($7). When both arrived at our table, we could see why the name of the establishment was the Peckish Pig. The portions for the price were gigantic, so we were quite excited to tuck into the wonderful repast in front of us. First, there were the Brussels sprouts. The typical scourge of kids’ palates at dinnertime is actually one of Janice and my favorite foods. Therefore, we expected this version with bacon and brown butter to be a highlight of the meal, but similar to my cherry beer, it did not live up to the hype. Yes, it contained all of the aforementioned ingredients on the same plate; however, together they did not taste like anything. It only tasted like some more well done pieces of bacon along with the bitter, almost burnt flavor of the roasted Brussels sprouts. We were not impressed. Thank the culinary gods the charcuterie version of Noah’s Ark came ashore on our table. Where to begin? At the top left, there was the Manchego cheese that was a bit better than your typical Manchego which is known for being crumbly and moderately grainy. It was a bit part player to the other elements on the chopping block. Next, there was the Gloucester cheddar with chives; the very same of the famous Cotswold Games where they roll a wheel of the delicious dairy down a hill while people give chase and try to catch it. Don’t believe me? Check it out here (Fast forward to 2:09 for the rolling). This was the double variety of the cheddar which meant that it had a very sharp cheddar tang to it which was enhanced by the chives. Definitely one of my favorites. To the right of the cheddar was the Stilton blue cheese that was the standout favorite of mine. It paired particularly well with the apricot jam because the potent funk of the cheese was soothed by the dulcet tones of the fruit spread. Finally, there was the ash-cured goat cheese that had a hint of smoke to its flavor profile but was not much different from the run-of-the-mill spreadable cheese. Following the cheese top half, there were the meats. The salami on the left was slightly spicy which I enjoyed as I moved on to the Spanish chorizo. I personally prefer the peninsular sausage over its Mexican equivalent due to its low greasiness and high piquancy. Next to the red disks of chorizo was a fellow Spanish product: Serrano ham. It is Spain’s take on Italian prosciutto, and I highly recommend trying some in this lifetime. It is both delicate yet filling with a bold, peppery flavor. Finally, the Peckish Pig plank treated us to some duck meat which was rich but nothing of note.

We definitely overestimated how hungry we were and the portion sizes at the Peckish Pig when we ordered our food because we also got an order of the hog wings ($13). You’ll never see wings this big at another restaurant unless pigs fly.

Slightly intimidating

These pork shanks were marinated in a hoisin sauce that was sweet and tangy with a soy base to represent its Far East roots. If you’re looking for an app that is gargantuan in size and flavor, I highly recommend this tribute to marinated meat.

Good all the way to the bone

For the entree, I got a duck sandwich ($14). Mind you, you might be wondering how I survived this marathon of delicious food, but I only ate half of the sandwich. Nevertheless, I greatly savored the meal that on paper should not have left the runway but in practice soared like a Concorde. The panini-style foccacia was fresh and crunchy and contained a true yin and yang of flavor profiles. First, the smoky duck was enhanced by the coffee bacon. You read that right. Coffee bacon.

Grounds for imprisonment…in my stomach

Once more the Peckish Pig kitchen managed to finagle some coffee-cured piggy into a dish we tried, and it was executed to perfection. With all of these smoky and savory flavors swirling around my tongue, I appreciated the neutral brie that brought them under control and allowed for the sweet and spicy apricot spread to compliment the rest of the sandwich. It was a very unique sandwich that expertly balanced sweet, spicy, salty, bitter, and umami between two pieces of foccacia. Talk about a mouthful! At this point, we thought it wasn’t possible to finish another bite, dessert was calling our name. We found room for the English sticky toffee pudding ($7). It was a sumptuous feast for both our eyes and taste buds. The moist cake was studded with small chunks of delicious toffee and swimming in a thin pool of custard cream and caramel sauce. If anything, skip the meal and just have dessert. It is definitely worth it.

Overall, the Peckish Pig is a casual restaurant that would be ideal for catching up with old friends and family or perhaps you would like to try one of Chicagoland’s many brewpubs. I would also recommend it for its attention to both meat-lovers and vegetable fans as well as its extensive drink menu.

It has finally come to the end of the line for the San Diego travelogue, and perhaps my last blog post in a long time to come as I begin my journey through graduate school tomorrow. I’ll try my best to post on her, but life has a funny way of hijacking my best material. As always on Mastication Monologues, I plan on highlighting the culinary stops we made along the way during our travels as well as any fun or exciting events of note. Day three was much more laid back than day one or day two aside from a little shoe scare toward the end of our trip.

As we woke up from our deep slumber from the crazy night before, we were definitely feeling the results of dancing and indulging ourselves all night long with great company. Thankfully, the newlyweds were hosting a farewell brunch for guests at another eatery on Coronado Island called Il Fornaio or “The Baker” in Italian. It was one of seemingly a million Italian eateries strewn about San Diego, but it was clearly inspired by the signature villas one could find in the Tuscan countryside with the sand colored walls and arbor vitaes lining the entrance. On the inside, it was light and airy with exposed woodwork and a kitchen that was open to the public eye. While we didn’t eat from the official menu since it was picked out to be more wide ranging for the multitude of guests’ palates, the waffles, eggs, and sausage that were provided were all excellent, especially the fluffy waffles topped with a spritz of whipped cream and some freshly sliced strawberries. We didn’t touch any of their alcoholic offerings like their signature mimosas or bellinis (a nod to the classic Venetian drink at Harry’s Bar), but they didn’t mess around when my fiancee asked for her personal elixir of life: Diet Coke.

Now that’s service!

Once finished with chowing down on the delectable morsels, we strolled out onto the outdoor patio that overlooked the entire San Diego skyline. A breathtaking view for a trip that has felt the same way at certain points due to the immense amount of activities that were planned. We were under the canopy, soaking up the last few rays of humidity free weather, when suddenly Janice remembered she didn’t have her high heels from last night. I quickly traced our Uber driver down online and called him. Luckily, he had them in the back of his car, and offered to drive to the restaurant to drop them off. After we wished the Cua and Ng family goodbye and thanked them for their hospitality, our Uber driver arrived right on time with the goods. It seemed like nothing could stand in our way on this perfect vacation. Not even when we looking for a place to satisfy our rumbling stomachs as we waited for our plane. As mentioned in my day one post, the wedding party hosted a rehearsal dinner with barbecue catering. Lo and behold, Janice and I ended up eating at the same company’s franchise location in San Diego’s airport: Phil’s BBQ. After looking over their full menu of chicken, ribs, salads, sandwiches, and fixin’s, I decided to share a quarter rib dinner with Janice ($10). It included four of their ribs and with two small sides or one large side. We opted for the former choice in the form of potato salad and macaroni salad. It also came with a side of cornbread which might not be offered at their main restaurant locations. The ribs were smaller than the gargantuan ones offered at Sabrina and Thompson’s rehearsal dinner, but that didn’t mean that they were lacking in flavor. The tomato-based sauce was on the sweeter end with not much of a smoky profile to it. They weren’t as mouth-wateringly transcendent than the Twin Anchor ribs back in Chicago, but they were better than some fancy Italian dining at Sbarro. The sides were competently made but nothing of note. I did enjoy the cornbread that was warm and soft without the waterfall of crumbs that typically accompany each bite of cornbread. I’d recommend trying Phil’s BBQ if you have a layover and want to try some Ohio style bbq, but it isn’t a must for any traveler. At least the food was more satisfying than the Euro 2016 final between Portugal and France we watched. By the time we were boarding, Ronaldo was lifting the trophy, elated beyond words, while we were less than enthused to come back to reality after such a wonderful time. Perhaps the West coast really is the best coast after all that we saw, experienced, and tasted. Until next time, readers! Keep on traveling and eating!

As if this South Carolina series couldn’t get any better, here’s part three of our Charleston chronicles! (Part 1 and Part 2 here). We woke up on our first day as fiance and fiancee, and we were on cloud nine. What better way to celebrate than a brunch fit for a king and queen? So, after doing some online sleuthing, we found that there were many rave reviews about the Granary.

It was Saturday late morning, and we were blessed with another lovely sunny day. However, we noticed that the roads were conspicuously empty for such a splendid morning. All was made clear when we entered the Granary. It was located in a moderately sized strip mall, and the interior was tastefully decorated in a modern rustic style. It also continued in a trend I noticed of the restaurant drawing upon the Carolinian bounty of locally sourced and produced products on their menu such as the plethora of cured meats hanging in freezers right at the entrance of the establishment. We also quickly realized the lack of cars and giant trucks on the streets that were typical for the previous days of our visit. Like many parts of the South, football (not futbol or footy as it’s called across the pond or south of the border) is king, and it was no different in the Granary as all of their slick flatscreens had on various college games. Contrary to the majority of diners, we were instead there to experience the show this Southern charcuterie powerhouse could put on. Once we were seated in this charming setting, we got down to business. We started our meal with the butcher plate ($16) which consisted of all house made cured meats, pickled vegetables, and salubrious spreads. The bounty was spread before us, and I didn’t know where to start. I immediately tried some of the pickles and mustard on the side since they are two elements of any savory meal I couldn’t pass up. Unfortunately, they were of the sweeter variety, but the whole grain mustard would prove to pair ideally with most of the meats on the board. The pickled cauliflower was also sour and crunchy which satisfied my palate much more than the pickles surprisingly. I’ll start with my least favorite item, and that was the goose pate. It was like a warm scoop of chocolate ice cream that was both rich and devoid of any sweetness compared to its dessert doppelganger. However, I’m not a huge proponent of spreadable meats, so it started off with a disadvantage. Not for me, but perhaps you might enjoy it more than I did. Then there was the slices of pork rillette which reminded me of bologna with each bite on the accompanying pieces of olive oil kissed bread. The two other items, the bresaola and soppressata, were the true stars in my eyes and taste buds. The small disks of soppressata, a specialty sausage of southern Italy, consisted of spicy pork and reminded me of its mouth watering Catalan equivalent, fuet, that I gnawed on during my siesta period during the day. If you like your fatty meats, this is the one for you. The bresaola, on the other hand, was thinly sliced but had tons of flavor packed into every fiber. Bresaola comes from Lombardy in northern Italy and is typically made of aged beef rubbed with salt and spices. It is then sliced thinly as we had it that day in Charlotte, and it made a great topping for the aforementioned pieces of crusty pane italiano. This multi-ringed circus was a prelude to the greatness that was to follow. For our main brunch plates, we were taken aback by how well made and reasonably priced our meals were. First, there was Janice’s Benedict Hash ($15). Before I begin describing these delectable creations, I have to add if you’re eating at the Granary, come hungry because the portions are not for the faint of stomach. In her plate, one could find crunchy yet tender duck confit pieces, sweet pickled peppers, roasted mushrooms, English muffin croutons, poached eggs, and hollandaise in addition to the traditional roasted potatoes. It was everything Janice could have asked in a meal. From the fluffy, delicately poached eggs to the plentiful duck confit scattered amongst the semi-crunchy potatoes and croutons, it was like a breakfast trail mix we would have brought along with us on all of the walking we would do for the rest of the day and night. It was jazzed up with a dash of local Floking red jalapeno hot sauce that was like a sweeter Tabasco type of hot sauce. However, my sweet tooth conquers all which segues to my French toast. I’m going to make a bold claim, but this was the best French toast I’ve ever had. It started with fried pieces of cinnamon-orange brioche that were then covered with candied pecans, bananas, and lying on a criss-cross of fresh blackberry preserves. As if that wasn’t enough, there was a moderate layer of blueberry cream cheese stuffed throughout the middle of each slice. This astounding version of a breakfast classic was topped with a generous soupcon of bourbon maple syrup which went well with the fresh banana slices. It was a true form of Southern comfort in the morning. Once we were finished, we made our way to the Charleston Aquarium. As mentioned in a previous post, we had bought tickets to the main aquarium as well as the sea turtle hospital. It is very worth it as you are able to get up close and personal with these mighty beasts of the deep who were cut down due to disease or human interference, unfortunately. Moving around the rest of the main facility, it wasn’t as great as Shedd in Chicago, but there were plenty of interactive exhibits for the kids that we also enjoyed. Definitely a fun diversion in Charleston if you have young children or are looking for something to do with inclement weather. After hanging out with Dory, Nemo, and the totally righteous sea turtles, we had to go and see the Charles Town Landing. Many people don’t seem to know about it, but it is actually the actual site English explorers landed in 1670. It is also where the current name of the city comes from: Charles Town -> Charleston. If you love history like me, you’d be in heaven because it looks similar to how they recreated the settlement feel to the embankments, forts, and even cannon. However, if you’re like my fiancee, Janice, and aren’t the most interested in history, they have animals on the northern side of the nature preserve. So we got there close to closing time, so we had roughly an hour to see both sections that were on opposite sides of the Landing. We rushed by the animals to not see any of the animals aside from the trusty bison who were just busy being majestic. I then proceeded to powerwalk/jog my way to the English galleon on the Ashley River. On the way, I found out that I accidentally jogged across a piece of a Native American burial ground, so that could have been slightly better labelled. Eventually, I made it with time to spare, and it was a lot smaller than I thought. I don’t know how the original sailors survived in such cramped quarters, but I can see why they went crazy colonizing America after getting off the boat. Thankfully when Janice eventually met up with me, we were able to walk back and enjoy the sights of the park minus the need to sprint my heart out. By the time we got to our car, we were ready to fill our rumbling stomachs with some sustenance. So, what better time to check out the Vendue Hotel rooftop? This hotel is in the heart of downtown Charleston, and we had to find the elevator to get to the bar at the top of the building. Once there, we were greeted with a tastefully decorated bar that also has one of the best views of the city. It was a bit too chilly to sit outside and take in the sunset over the Holy City, named for its numerous church steeples and other houses of worship, unfortunately. Once we were done admiring this breathtaking city, we got down to business at the bar. Ordered some cava or Spanish champagne with a side of their pulled pork nachos. We were celebrating our engagement like a pair of classy tourists. The nachos were unique and satisfying because it combines a Southern cuisine staple with a tex-mex mainstay. Plus, instead of having typical neon-yellow nacho cheese, they had an almost cheese gravy spread over all of the tortilla chips. I’d highly recommend this bar food mainstay with a distinct Charlestonian character. During our meal, we managed to crush the cava bottle, but I did manage to get an East Coast favorite: Yuengling beer. It is from the oldest operating brewery in America established in 1829, and the unique name comes from the German founders last name “Jungling” or “Young man” in German which was Anglicized to “Yuengling” (youngling in English). As for the taste, I wasn’t a big fan of the thin and kind of hoppy red ale. Janice got the Temple of the Dog ($11) which was a very strongly made mix of rye, chinato, bitters, and a brandied cherry for garnish. It was like a lighter Manhattan that was potent yet refreshing.

Very refreshed right now

By the time we finished that shared drink, we made our way down the street to the Griffon, a famous dive bar that has dollar bills coating the walls like wallpaper. It has reached new popularity after appearing on Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown. It wasn’t too happening when we went in and got a nightcap, but I’d imagine it would be better later at night on the weekend. Still we had a lot of fun!

Or at least Janice did

We left the dark pub to walk the streets and take in the coastal charm of Charleston walking along a dock under the light of the moon. An almost perfect penultimate day with plenty of excitement to come during our last day in the Dirty South.

Finally, done with final exams and my 2nd Bachelor’s Degree!!! The feeling is amazing, and what better way to celebrate than starting the story of our journey to Charleston, South Carolina? Oh yeah, and also asking my wonderful girlfriend to marry me! So, like any good tale, let’s start at the beginning.

Before we left for Charleston, we had been talking about when we would get married and types of engagement rings Janice wanted. In fact, she was the occasional Debbie Downer thinking that I might never pop the question. Little did she know I had already ordered and secretly stashed the ring at home. *Cue maniacal laughter* Once we got to the airport, the game was afoot. Through a series of strategic positioning choices while walking, like holding her left hand in my right hand because the ring was in my left pocket, and taking advantage of classic airport situations, like the madness at the security lines and Janice’s subsequent rage at everyone’s incompetence, I managed to sneak the ring in my backpack. This is where it would stay until later in our trip. Keep that in mind, readers. The flight and nighttime jaunt to our Air BnB was relaxing, and we were ready to explore the city the next day. We woke up to a slightly cool day that was punctuated with plenty of intermittent rain and wind as we were off to brunch at our first Charleston restaurant. From the outset, we knew this was going to be an eventful day since we were greeted with biblical floods throughout downtown Charleston. Not only were we learning the streets, but we were also playing our own version of Oregon Trail in our rental car which also oddly had a dial instead of an actual gear shift. Definitely was freaking me out.

Notice the flood waters right outside our window.

Fording all of those rivers really whipped up our appetite, and we finally arrived at Hominy Grill (thankfully we didn’t lose any oxen!). This tastefully and colorfully decorated historical Charleston house was a symbol of the deep roots that run through the east coast port town. Charleston was one of the richest cities in the original 13 colonies due to cash crops like rice, indigo, and timber that were harvested by the slaves that were subsequently brought over to do all the dirty work. Although the institution of slavery is based on the concept that one group of people is viewed as being less than human and more like chattel or general investments, the power of good food can still make the oppressed class make their voices heard even when other parts of their culture might be done away with by the ruling class. In fact, it is often the case around the world that some of the best food comes from the lower classes since they have to make the most of what they could afford. That would be a common theme throughout our trip as we ate signature Southern American dishes that have African roots but appeased the taste buds of the English colonists. Hominy grill brought plenty of this blended South Carolinian culture. We loved the antique interior which also kept the quaint colonial vibe when I noticed they weren’t playing any music in the restaurant. I don’t know if it’s a Chicago thing, but we more often than not have music going on in restaurants. So, it was a welcome change to just hear the sound of families and friends enjoying good food. The meal began not with a bread basket rather a paper container of boiled peanuts. While these are now a common Southern snack, they trace their roots back to Africa. They are commonly sold as a street food in Ghana even to this day, and in the South they can also be called “goober peas” which reminded me of a popular Civil War my mom would randomly sing. I had actually never had them, so we tucked into them. It was weird because the normally crunchy shells peeled off like a loose skin, and the peanuts had an almost meaty quality to them. I can see why they could be a good snack food, but I prefer my honey roasted variety. I did like that we got more than we bargained for because for some reason it seemed that there were a lot of three and even four nut shells. We kept the food festival going with two appetizers in the form of fried green tomatoes ($6) and hushpuppies ($5). I had had hushpuppies before, but never like this. The first people to have made them were Native Americans in the Southern United States, but they became popular during the Civil War. Their name supposedly came from the Confederate soldiers using them to make their dogs be quiet or “hush the puppies”. I can see why because I was making my barking stomach curl up and sleep in a food coma. I didn’t really get the jalapeno flavor or spice in them as advertised in the menu, but the subtly sweet sorghum butter was a fitting compliment to the crunchy and salty crust. The real star of the appetizer round was the fried green tomato plate. It was another Southern fried treat which consisted of unripe tomatoes coated in batter and fried with a side of ranch dressing. It might have been the Midwesterner in me which embraced the ranch dressing, but the creamy richness was a match made in heaven with the semi-juicy and sour interior and crispy exterior. As if that wasn’t enough food, we managed to move on to our entrees. Hominy Grill is a Michelin starred restaurant with not super Michelin prices serving plenty of Southern comforts, and we stayed true to what Hominy Grill is good at. Janice ended up getting the Shrimp and Grits ($19) which was different than most grits I’ve ever had. They were more like a very fine risotto compared to the creamier grits that I tried in Georgia or have seen at soul food events. The shrimp were perfect and the scallions and bacon brought a savory edge to the smooth plate. Then there was my choice: the Nasty Biscuit ($10.50). If there was one plate to sum up Southern cuisine, this tried to roll every element into one meal (minus delicious barbecue). It was a buttermilk biscuit with a piece of fried chicken in the middle bobbing in a sea of sausage gravy and cheddar cheese. Straight. Up. Nasty. (in a good way, naturally) There was no easy way to eat this symbol of Southern madness/genius, but it was as heart stoppingly good as you might imagine. I wouldn’t have to eat for another week with the amount of calories this bomb contained, but I would recommend it to anyone who wants something that’s more southern than Colonel Sanders, the Dukes of Hazard, and Nascar combined. We also got a side of collard greens since Janice likes them, and we needed to keep the southern food train rolling. I never really tried them before this moment, but I would liken them to an earthier spinach. Not something I’d go out of my way to eat, but thank God I got something green to eat in this sea of deep fried goodness. Somehow, some way we managed to make room for their famous homemade buttermilk pie. Good lawd, I have never had a pie like this, but it was the lightest pie I’ve ever eaten. First, it was chilled which made it seemed more lithe than the cumbersome fried food we had before. Then the filling was like consuming a sweet treat that was like a suave vanilla custard that caressed our overworked palates. Finally, the crust. It was minimally intrusive compared to your typical lard based pie crust which made all the difference in this belt buster of a meal. We came super hungry and left super satisfied. Can’t praise the Hominy Grill restaurant and staff enough.

Thankfully, we walked like crazy afterward along Charleston’s harbor. Since the weather was craptacular, we thought we could wait out the rain in the Charleston aquarium, but unfortunately we missed the last tour for the biggest draw: the sea turtle hospital.

We did come out on top with puns though.

We cut our losses, and got tickets for the next day and instead went to Fort Sumter which just so happened to be next door. Well, actually it was the national park museum commemorating the flashpoint of the beginning of the Civil War, and it was chock full of historical goodness that we appreciated. The actual fort consisted of us getting on a ferry boat and going out to an island in the harbor. It was windy and cold, and I was smart enough to not bring a jacket (or I’m just that tough). We landed and it was the perfect time to go since the weather scared away the hordes of tourists. The fort was a mere shadow of its former self, but I could imagine how terrible it must have been for the defenders to be behind its ramparts and being shelled day after day. My favorite part of the visit consisted of the flag lowering ceremony that was similar to how the former Union defenders would do at the end of each day. It was an extremely windy day, and it was more challenging than you may think. Think about a fifty foot piece of heavy canvas flying and whipping at you violently, but luckily teamwork saved the day. Going back on the ferry, thankfully the weather let up to take in the many beautiful views of Charleston skyline and bridge. I later learned that Janice had thought I was going to propose to her on the ferry which surprised me. That big event will come later in the story at a more unique location! Instead, we continued to walk off our heavy lunch along the broad avenues of Charleston’s historical downtown. I could not get enough of how much history was around every corner. Surprisingly, we were hungry again, so we had to try a little place called Husk. It is in a late 19th Century mansion and led by a James Beard award winning chef, so we threw ourselves at the mercy of their menu. Janice wisely got reservations before we even landed in Charleston, so we checked in just below the steep staircase. We still had to wait for a table though since the entire establishment was hopping. Thankfully, they had a smaller guest house next door that was converted into a two tiered bar. The drink menu was Charleston through and through with references to parts of the city (the Four Corners of Law) and southern flavors. We were quickly seated upstairs at one of their rustic wooden tables. We started off with a Turcotte’s Tipple ($11) and a Charleston Light Dragoon’s Punch ($9). Janice’s tipple drink was an homage to the rider of the Triple Crown winner Secretariat, and it was a bourbon based, grapefruit-infused drink that was as fleet footed as its steed namesake. If you’re looking for a light, understated fruity drink for a hot summer day, this is your best bet. As for mine, it was taken straight from a 1783 recipe from the archives of the Preservation Society of Charleston. It was much stronger than Janice’s front porch refreshment due to the rum and the peach brandy, and it combined with black tea and lemon juice to add a spiked sweet/iced tea flavor to the mix. I’d liken this drink to a British version of a Manhattan. Even though we were next door, Husk’s staff actually came to get us upstairs in the guest house to lead us to our table in the main house. Now that’s what I call service! We were shown upstairs past their homemade pickled vegetables and firewood for the ovens to one of the front dining rooms that had a view of the second floor porch. Janice also got a Copperhead ($11) which a whiskey with a hint of absinthe that was like a licorice infused Old Fashion. As for food, we got a complimentary basket of fresh pretzel rolls that were small, warm orbs of heavenly dough with a side of whipped creamy butter. The culinary dream that happened soon thereafter was the stuff of legend. First, we got fried chicken skins with kimchi mayo, black garlic mayo, and scallions ($11) and glazed pig ear wraps ($12). The former was continuing with the southern fried theme from our Hominy Grill lunch. The people at Husk could sell them at any national chicken chain as a guilty pleasure and make a fortune. They were just the right amount of crunchy, salty, savory, and spice with the kimchi mayo. As for the glazed pig ear wraps, they were like a southern version of Korean ssam bap. The cook had similar strips of pork that were a bit tougher than kalbi, but they did have some pickled cucumbers and red onion to keep in line with this Korean fusion dish. I would highly recommend both of these appetizers. We moved on to the entrees where Janice got the heritage pork ($34) and the bacon cornbread ($8) while I got the flat iron steak ($34). I thought that combining the hottest ingredient/breakfast food since sliced bread with a delicious southern staple would have yielded an unforgettable pairing to our flawless dishes, but alas, we were not impressed since it was actually on the dry and crumbly side. Thankfully, my flat iron steak was assembled to perfection with medium rare steak, mushrooms, broccoli, and shishito peppers. The steak were burgundy nuggets of bliss and the vegetables were expertly sauteed. Kudos to the addition of the shishito peppers that gave the mostly mild ingredients a nearly undetectable hint of sweet spiciness. I thought Janice’s pork plate was ok, and she didn’t feel it warranted the price tag. I could see why because the pork, while flavorful, was too much of the same flavors. There wasn’t that element, like my peppers, that always kept you guessing with every forkful. Finally, there was the dessert, and what a dessert it was. It was a caramel bread pudding that consisted of a brown butter crumble and cinnamon ice cream with flower blossoms for decoration. Now, I’ve had my fair share of bread puddings, some good and others not so good (contrary to popular opinion), and this was hands down the best I’ve ever had. It wasn’t too hot or too cool. The crumbles were spiced and just in the perfect ratio to the soaked bread below that was filled with luscious caramel. The warmth of the skillet made the cinnamon ice cream atop this work of art melt and soak into each spoonful. I was having my own When Harry Met Sally moment by the time we sadly hit the end of our metal clad sweet secret. After we paid and did a short nightly jaunt around one of Charleston’s main streets, we made our way home after a successful first day in Charleston. Stay tuned for the next chapters in our journey and the road to our engagement proposal!

Ah college…an idyllic time where you can enjoy every social opportunity there is for an 18-22 year old while hopefully gaining an education. On any college campus in America, minus the dry campuses, there is always a main street where most students go to shop, eat, and get their drink on. The last two are especially important given that nothing is better than having a great night out on the town and more importantly, getting some precious food to fill your food before, during, and/or after the shenanigans. This past fall, I went for the first time to the Indiana University with my girlfriend and her friends, and experienced everything their campus had to offer. I had always heard good things about Bloomington, Indiana (hard to believe given it’s in Indiana), but I never had been there. Plus, I went to the University of Illinois at Chambana, so our schools aren’t the best of neighbors. However, I ended up having a fantastic weekend filled with fun, friends, and especially food.

We kicked off Friday night with exploring the downtown area and visiting a popular bar called Nick’s. Apparently they’re famous for a drinking game called Sink the Biz, or as I’ve always known it from U of Illinois, depth charge. Basically, you try not to sink the shotglass while pouring beer into it.

The guys behind us were captivated.

Loser has to drink per usual. Things got really rowdy when Captain Morgan showed up, but we were more into the prompt service and the good bar food like the cheese sticks, fries, and burgers. Old people priorities, woooooo! After that, we moved on to the Upstairs Bar where the party really jumped off. First, there were these drinks called AMFs or Adios Mofos to keep it clean, and after tasting one I can see where the name comes from. Take down one or two, and you might as well kiss your last functioning neurons goodbye. If you like to dance, this was the place to be especially when Michael Jackson’s Hold Me from the classic film Free Willy came on. It was a spiritual experience to say the least. The rest of the night was pretty fun, but the following morning was even better.

The highlight (one of many) for our visit was the tailgate before the football game. For the uninitiated, like myself back then, I wasn’t sure what tailgating consisted of. Turns out it was the biggest food and drink fest of all time, but with the unpredictability of the elements thrown in. What that meant was while we were freezing outside, we huddled around the Weber grill for warmth as bbq master Cam was slinging burgers at us. We also were enjoying plenty of adult beverages, making new friends,

Ruby the dog is so popular

ruining old friendships over drinking games,

Nobody but Janice is having fun.

and getting on Buzzfeed (Check number 15). Nbd. Eventually we made it to the football game, and it was about as dismal as the weather. It was so depressing that one of our friends, Amanda, basically led a mass exodus of fans out of the stadium after loudly voicing her displeasure at a terrible throw and a missed catch. We thought about going out, but after 10 hours of straight raging, we decided to call it a night. The following morning, however, we nursed our hangovers with a little something the girls kept calling VD. Now, that’s something people normally try to stay away from, but in Bloomington, VD or Village Deli is the place to be on a Sunday morning. Recently it suffered a terrible fire, but thankfully it was repaired and back in business. I enjoyed their funky fresh paint scheme with their psychedelic paintings on the wall of celebrities, and the food looked delicious as we walked pass the packed tables. Their menu was simple but filled with great options for pancakes, omelets, and scramblers. They are known for their Famous, Collosal, Huge, Ginormous, Fresh Buttermilk Pancakes, so that is exactly what I got ($4.50). You can also add up to three toppings including fresh fruit, walnuts, peanut butter chips, chocolate chips, granola, or cinnamon roll. That last one greatly intrigued me, so I plumped for just that to see what these from scratch big boys would look like. What came out was just as large as they were talking about. They were literally bigger than my face and coated with cinnamon, sugar, and icing. I seem to have a penchant for ordering large breadstuffs for breakfast. I quickly got down to business since I was starving, and they were some of the best pancakes I’ve ever had. I could tell they were made from scratch with the fluffiness of each bite coated in that sweet and slightly savory cinnamon sugar melange. It was kicked up a notch in the diabetes column with the cinnamon roll icing, but I was back in college for a weekend. Nothing like letting the hair down a little. My compadres’ meals looked equally delish, but I highly recommend getting there early if you want a table and not have to wait in line for half an hour or more. It was a satisfying end to an entertaining weekend with new friends.

Job well done, team!

To finish, I would highly recommend visiting U of Indiana and the Village Deli if you’re looking for good times and great food with even better prices.

Hola a todos and welcome to Mastication Monologues! This really has been a post that has been long in the making, but it is not short on quality by any means. Today’s restaurant in question is De Cero on the Near West side of Chicago. It is a modern version of a taqueria or taco shop for y’all who don’t habla espanol. It takes the ingredients from the Pilsen and Little Village Mexican strongholds and presents it in a more Rick Bayless upper echelon Latin cuisine fashion.

Sharing the block with other famous dining establishments like Le Chevre and Girl and the Goat (post coming soon), De Cero is a simple restaurant with open patio dining and indoor dining. It’s simply furnished with wooden chairs and a soft lit interior. When I went with my girlfriend and her party posse, we hung out on the bumpin patio that was occasionally ruined by spontaneous drizzle storms. Being the Midwesterners that we are, we just sat through it and enjoyed the wonderful food and drinks.

First, there were the libations. They have non-alcoholic selections like the classic Jarritos that can be found in every corner store stocked with Latin goods, but we came for the more adult beverages. I started by wetting my whistle with a mango con chile margarita ($9.75). Not only did it come with chile, but our waitress indulged my thirst for spicy food by letting me know I can put habanero chili powder on the edge. When it came out, it checked all the boxes for me for a bebida perfecta (perfect drink). It was the perfect blend of the natural sweetness of the sunny yellow mango with the occasional hint of tequila and a bold punch of smoldering chile with each sip. Later on in the night, I tried the jicama margarita, but it was the blander of the two options.

As for appetizers, we got the chips and salsa entrada ($6.75) where we chose the pico de gallo, red picante, and tomatillo lime verde salsas. A side of guacamole was thrown in there for good measure. Out of the trio of super salsas, my favorite was the pico de gallo. All of the different elements like the tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and tangy lime juice were in perfect harmony which I couldn’t say the same for its compadres. The red picante was pedestrian but a bit heavy on the smoky chile element, and the key lime green tomatillo salsa was more sour than savory which didn’t really catch my fancy. However, the guacamole made me think “Holy moly” with each ravenous bite of the tortilla chips. Even though it was the same color as toothpaste, it tread the line between chunky and smooth excellently and the cilantro pepped up this potentially bland side. My girlfriend also tried the spicy goat cheese tamale ($3.75).

Duck confit taco and tamale

It was nothing special. The mild masa of the tamale drowned out the flamboyantly tasty goat cheese which left me muy triste. After munching on these appetizers, the main course came out.

I got four different tacos: spicy applewood chorizo, rajas, al pastor, and chicken mole ($3.75 each). Surprisingly, I thought the best one of the four was the rajas. This doesn’t mean that the other ones were huge let downs, but I felt that I tried better versions in cheaper restaurants. Especially with the al pastor that had plenty of spiced pork shoulder but not enough pineapple. The chorizo was not as spicy as I was anticipating which left me crestfallen since I’m used to Mexican sausage bringing the heat. The chicken mole was more of an experiment for me since I’ve never really been a big fan of mole. Even though I love chocolate, this cocoa infused sauce never really jived with my palate. At De Cero, it was no different, but I’m sure many other people love it. The black beans that came with the tacos, however, were a nice change of pace compared to the typical brown refried bean goo they serve at every tex-mex eatery. They were served whole, simmered in a pork based broth with a chunk of pork thrown in for good measure. It was food for the soul.

By the end of the meal, I felt like a stuffed gordita, but the overall quality of the ingredients in the tacos and the zesty margaritas made De Cero a taqueria experience without equal, especially with lovely company.